


Long Live the King

by zebraljb



Series: Hershey Kisses [15]
Category: Kingsman (Movies)
Genre: Ceremony, Coronation, Declarations Of Love, Established Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-15
Updated: 2019-02-15
Packaged: 2019-10-29 01:10:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,105
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17798234
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zebraljb/pseuds/zebraljb
Summary: PROMPT - Pulling away from a kiss, whispering words of love against each other's lips.Harry is finally ready to be named as Arthur and the ceremony is planned.  Merlin is stoic and beautiful and brave throughout...but once the toasts are made he finally breaks down.





	Long Live the King

LONG LIVE THE KING

“Do we gotta wear like robes or sommat?”

“This is nae a human sacrifice, Eggsy. We are simply going through the motions.” Merlin shakes his head and shoves Eggsy’s feet off his desk.

“Watch it, almost dropped my tea!” Eggsy sits up and carefully places the teacup on the desk. “Is there like a secret password?”

“This isn’t one of those American fraternity movies, darling boy.” Harry smiles at him. “Just a simple ceremony where you all swear your fealty to me.”

“PLEASE tell me ya at least pull a sword from a stone?” Eggsy begs. “Merlin, c’mon, bruv.”

Merlin and Harry exchange looks. “I’m afraid not,” Merlin says finally.

“What tha fuck? This is really a big fuckin’ letdown.” Eggsy droops back into his chair.

Harry looks horrified at the disappointment on Eggsy’s face. Merlin groans and rolls his eyes. “Well…there might be a special crown I have to wear,” Harry says finally. Eggsy perks up. “Merlin gets to put it on me. And there is a special ring you all have to kiss.”

“Now we’re talkin’,” Eggsy says energetically, prior good mood restored. “Wait…we all hafta kiss it, an’ it’s been used before? Euww. Germs, Harry.”

“I assure ye, lad, that is all taken care of. It’s kept in a special safe, and it is disinfected after every ceremony.” Merlin shakes his head again. “The younger generation is a bunch of pansies, Harry.”

“The fuck we are!” Eggsy shouts. “Can’t help it we care about stuff like, I dunno, e. coli an’ swine flu, an’ like, uh, cholera.”

“No one will be dying of cholera during my ceremony, Eggsy, I promise,” Harry says, trying very hard to hide a smile.

“Fine. Make fun of me. I don’t care.” A grin slowly crosses Eggsy’s face. “Merlin gonna give ya a big kiss when he crowns ya? Slip ya tha tongue while he’s slippin’ the ring on yer finger?”

“Really, Eggsy,” Harry says, but his cheeks turn pink.

“Dinnae listen to him, Harry. He is simply jealous.” Merlin flips through an ancient book. 

“Of what? You?” Eggsy laughs out loud. “I do just fine, mate.”

“Oh really?” Merlin removes his glasses. Harry pulls out his phone and aims it at Merlin, a sly grin on his face. “Tell me, Eggsy…have ye made Tilde shout so hard when she comes that she cannae talk for the rest of the day? Have you bent her over the kitchen table and fucked her so hard that the table legs broke and ye had to buy a new one? Have ye made her crawl across the bedroom floor and beg to suck your cock?” Harry turns his phone from Merlin to Eggsy.

“Um, I think I have to go. Yes. Reports. Many reports.” Eggsy practically runs out the door of Merlin’s office.

“Was that necessary, dearest?” Harry asks. His cheeks are still pink as he puts his phone away.

“Very necessary. We need to finalize details for the ceremony and he was nae taking the hint.” Merlin doesn’t look up from his papers. “And if ye are very good and work with me, I will nae make you crawl for my cock tonight.”

 

So maybe the ceremony IS going to be cool after all, Eggsy decides as they file one by one into the downstairs conference room. The large table has been pushed to the back wall and draperies of deep purple and gold cover the windows. There are actual lanterns, not electric lights, and there is a small dais in the front of the room where Merlin is currently standing with Harry. There is also a throne. An actual throne, and Harry is sitting on it. He already looks like a king in his dark grey suit. His back is straight and his face serious, although his eyes keep going to Merlin. Eggsy isn’t surprised. Merlin’s clad in a deep blue suit that makes him look strong and serious, and there is absolutely no question that Harry is in love with him. The look in his eyes is absolute adoration as he looks at his husband.

Eggsy is last in line as they file in, and Harry looks at each of them as they stand before him. His expression doesn’t really change as he finally looks at Eggsy, although the corners of his mouth twitch just a bit. Eggsy can’t help it. He winks at Harry and Merlin actually is the one to roll his eyes. “Thank you for coming, knights of Kingsman. We gather here today to celebrate the coronation of Arthur, head of our round table,” Merlin announces. “For over one hundred years Kingsman has asked much of the brightest and best this nation has to offer. And now we ask one more thing…for you to process your loyalty, your fealty, to our king.”

Merlin drones on for a bit and Eggsy listens…mostly. It sounds like something Merlin had to memorize, although he does add information particular to Harry, and he does make it sound like he’s coming up with it while they’re standing there. For about the one thousandth time, Eggsy is glad he doesn’t have Merlin’s job. But as he stands in his line and looks at the two of them, he realizes that he’s a bit envious. They’ve been together for almost as long as he’s been alive, and they were friends before that. They are the dictionary definition of a ‘power couple,’ both strong and handsome and brave, and he would never want to be on the bad side of either of them. He then realizes how lucky he is to have good friends like them, and he stands a bit straighter.

“Please kneel,” Merlin is saying and suddenly Eggsy gives his full attention.

Harry kneels before Merlin and looks up at him. Merlin’s mask falls and the look he gives Harry is so full of love and devotion that Eggsy’s heart aches. Harry dips his head and Merlin places an actual crown on his head. It’s a thin circlet of cold with sparkling stones that settles over Harry’s dark hair and makes him look even more regal. Merlin starts asking questions of Harry, and Harry answers, “I do solemnly swear” each time Merlin pauses. Harry gets to his feet and stands next to Merlin.

“Knights of Kingsman, I give you my loyalty, my life, my heart. I promise to do right by you, to put your needs before my own, to do everything within my power to bring you home safely each time you leave on a mission. I am proud to take the name of Arthur, because I will lead you into battle.”

Eggsy absolutely does not get a tear in his eye.

Harry slowly sits back down on the throne and the knights begin to approach. They come before him on bended knee, taking his hand in theirs and speaking a few quiet words before kissing the ring on his finger. As Eggsy gets closer he realizes no one is actually pressing their lips to the ring, but kissing the air above it. Eggsy glares at Merlin. Fucking tosser.

Finally it’s Eggsy’s turn, and he’s actually nervous. “Gawain,” Merlin announces, and Eggsy slowly moves forward. Harry’s eyes are warm and he smiles down at Eggsy in a way he hadn’t smiled at anyone else. 

“I…” Eggsy tries to think of something posh and intelligent to say. “Love ya, Arthur,” he finally whispers. “Ya gave me everything, an’ I in return will give ya all of me. So proud ta be Gawain at yer table, so fuckin’ proud of ya today.” He squeezes Harry’s hand in his. Merlin clears his throat and his eyes look suspiciously wet. “Promise my body, my loyalty, everything.”

“Thank you, Gawain,” Harry whispers. “You do me a great honor.”

Eggsy stands and backs away, giving Harry a watery smile. He joins the line of agents and Merlin kneels before Harry. He can’t hear what Merlin says, but he can tell by the look on Harry’s face that it’s something very emotional and private. Merlin bends his head over Harry’s hand, actually pressing the slender fingers to his cheek. Merlin stands and clears his throat, taking a moment before turning to face the group. Harry stands again and Merlin says, “To Arthur.”

“Arthur!” The men shout, and the ceremony is over.

“Oh, thank Christ THAT’S over,” Harry says with a sigh. He takes off the crown and ring and hands them to Merlin, who put them in a special case lined with velvet. Percival is pouring drinks and handing them out to everyone.

He shoves a glass into Eggsy’s hand. “Here you are, Gawain.”

“We don’t use Napoleonic brandy for this?” Eggsy asks.

“Chester King was a pompous twat and that swill tasted like dirt,” Percival says with a straight face. “We celebrate today, and we toast Arthur appropriately.”

“Indeed,” Eggsy says with a grin. They all raise their glasses to Harry, who grins and raises his glass as well. The agents come to greet Harry, each one talking and laughing with him, shaking his hand or clapping him on the back. Eggsy watches Merlin, who finishes putting everything away but doesn’t take a glass of champagne. Instead he pours himself a glass of scotch and wanders through the doors on the side of the room onto the veranda. Eggsy starts to follow him but stops when he sees Harry politely excuse himself and eventually wander out of the room as well.

Eggsy can’t help himself. He ambles here and there before making his way to the edge of the veranda, right at the doorway. Merlin is standing at the railing looking out at the grounds of Kingsman with Harry by his side. “Ye did well,” Merlin says.

“Like I had a choice. If I cocked that up I knew you would have my head.”

“Aye. It is my job to make sure things are done correctly.” Merlin sips at his scotch. He sets his glass down on the railing with a clink. “It is my job to watch, and oversee, but never…”

“Hamish,” Harry says in astonishment. He puts his own glass down and draws Merlin into his arms. Eggsy watches in shock as Merlin actually sobs on Harry’s shoulder. He quickly turns around and pulls the draperies closed over the door before closing the door itself, blocking the pair from the agents inside.

“I watched ye die,” Merlin says. “I watched ye die, and I mourned ye. I saved the world with Eggsy…dear Eggsy…and I mourned ye privately because I had no time to do anything else. I never thought I’d see ye again, hold ye again, make love to ye again. And now here you are, strong and healthy and whole, taking the mantle of Arthur. I never…I never thought I would see this day.”

“Shh, dearest.” Harry pulls back to kiss him, thumbs wiping the tears away. “I didn’t remember you when I woke up,” he says against Merlin’s lips, just loud enough for Eggsy to hear him. “But I knew there was something missing, a hole in my heart. That something was you, Hamish, even if I didn’t realize it. But I knew I had to find what was missing, and then I did. I came home to you.”

“I knew ye were an incredible Galahad, but I’m so thankful I dinnae have to watch ye go out into the field again.” Merlin’s lips brush against Harry’s. “I could nae bear it.”

“I’m here with you, Hamish. I will always be here with you.” They kiss again for a long moment.

Eggsy finally clears his throat and saunters across the veranda as if he’s just come outside. “There you two are…knew ya’d find a way ta snog him, Merlin. Boys are lookin’ fer ya…think there’s food.”

“Thank you, my boy.” Harry smiles at him as Merlin turns away to wipe his eyes. 

“Ya all right, Merlin?” Eggsy asks timidly.

“Of course. I’m fine. Something in my eye.” Merlin turns back to him.

“Just glad ya had all yer clothes on when I came out,” Eggsy teases, trying to lighten the mood.

“I would nae do something like that here,” Merlin says sternly. “I will profess my loyalty to Arthur’s cock later this evening.”

“Bruv,” Eggsy says, wrinkling his nose.

“Let’s go in,” Harry says, placing a hand on the small of Eggsy’s back and gently pushing.

If he places his hand a bit lower on Merlin’s back, Eggsy’s not going to be the one to say anything.


End file.
